City Employee Credit Card Purchases Reveal Luxurious Spending

Related Tags:

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento city employees have used city credit cards to pay for everything from Starbucks and chocolate, to trips to Disneyland and a posh hotel in Chicago, according to records obtained by CBS13.

There are stacks and stacks of city credit card transactions over a time period the city has been cutting, from $200 million from its budget to 1,400 employee positions eliminated.

Now, we’re getting a look at some of the city expenses we haven’t seen before.

The number of digits is dizzying looking at Sacramento city credit card statements going back five years.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the charges:

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates, $404, for a city clerk conference.

The Fairmont Hotel in Chicago, $795, for a professional certification.

Disneyland resort, $480, another clerk conference.

The charges that may look extravagant may in fact be considered appropriate.

City auditor Jorge Osewuera is poring over the numbers.

“A trip to Disneyland Resort might be a legitimate transaction for business purposes,” said Osewuera. “So the evidence we’d be looking for are conference materials, agenda, what are the types of courses being covered.”

A police review of the data found no criminal wrongdoing, but the audit follows the criminal probe of former mayor’s aid Lisa Serna-Mayorga.

She resigned after being caught allegedly using her city credit card for personal expenses, totaling a reported $9,000.

“I’m just sad and disappointed, obviously, with the news,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson.

Now all city issued credit card holders are under new scrutiny, and the public is getting a close up view at how their public dollars are being spent.

It’s important to note that these credit card expenses are from city employees under the city manager.

Credit card transactions from employees under the council and mayor are still being kept sealed as part of the police probe launched after Serna-Mayorga’s resignation.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is out of town to attend the Democratic National Convention next week.

However, CBS13 plans to ask Johnson about the credit card charges when he returns.